The Well Rounded Mama

Because...

... it was a Monday

... I like to bake

... I have been spending too much time on Pinterest

... I had a craving for amazing sugar cookies

... I might be moving and I might not, which means I can't pack anything

... I have so much on my mind that I think it might explode

... I felt like it

 

I made these...

 

 

 

As I was finishing them it occured to me that the kids might not know who this is.  So I asked, "Do you even know who Cookie Monster is?  Alaina answered, "Yes, of course!"  Then she paused and said, "Wait...who is it again?"

 

Oh well, at least I know who it is and I think he is cute.

Just Because I Love It...

 

Just because I love being a mom...and I love being a mom to many...doesn't mean that I don't have hard days.  It doesn't mean that I magically got lucky and got perfect kids.  It doesn't mean that my kids immediately obey everything I say or that I never have to play referee.  It doesn't mean that every day is just smiles and sparkles and it doesn't mean that there aren't times that I secretly wish all of my kids could be caged as happily as Katie cages herself (in Lucy's cage!)

It's true, I love what I do and I wouldn't change it for anything. But I do have hard days.  An introverted mama like me desperately needs alone time and time for quiet -- two things not readily available in a homeschooling house with lots of little people running around. I have days where I literally have to stop, close my eyes, and breathe deeply a few times an hour just to get through the moments without raising my voice. And I don't always succeed. 

There are days when I really wish I didn't care so much how I did as a mom, because if I didn't care then I wouldn't have to do all the things I do and I could spend my time doing what *I* want instead of what is best for the other people in my home.  If I didn't care, I could do a lot of other very interesting and entertaining things. But I do care, and so I keep going.  I keep cooking and cleaning and kissing and teaching and reminding and pouring and correcting and loving and reading and encouraging and listening and baking and modeling.  And I do a LOT of praying.  Most of them go something like this, "Oh Lord, give me the love and grace to get through this moment, to remember that they are just kids, and to make them feel loved no matter what they have said or done and no matter what I now need to say or do."

 

So yes, I have hard days.  But I DO love what I do.  I love it because I know I am doing something so very important.  Not only am I affecting the lives of my kids, but I am affecting the lives of every single person they come into contact with.  That it not something to be taken lightly.  And so I go on, very imperfectly, trying to be the best mother I can be (which often means admitting and apologizing to my kids for all the ways I fall short).

And maybe on one of the really hard days, I'll have to put more thought into this "kid's cage" idea.  Katie sure seems to like it!

 

These are AWWWESOME!

 

Those were the words that the kids blurted out as chocolate crumbs dropped from their mouths.  And I have to admit, they were quite tasty. I haven't been baking much lately (because baking = eating and I am trying to be better about my sugar intake).  But I was craving both the baking and the eating, so we made these oh-so-fun and oh-so yummy cookies.

 

 

I got the recipe from Confessisons of a Cookbook Queen.  Since I love (and miss) Little Debbie snacks so much, I knew they would be worth a try.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs 
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda 

Heat oven to 350.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing after each addition. Mix in vanilla.


In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add slowly to the butter/sugar mixture in the mixing bowl. Beat until combined.

Drop spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 7-9 minutes. I used my cookie scoop so that they would be uniform and perfectly round. Remove baking sheets to cooling racks and remove cookies after a few minutes to continue cooling.


While cookies cool, make your filling.

FILLING


1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons warm water


In the bowl of a mixer, beat the shortening and butter on medium speed until smooth and combined. Beat in vanilla. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar and beat on low until just combined. Add water and beat on medium high for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.


Once cookies have cooled, pipe or spread filling on the flat side of half of them. Gently press another cookie on top of the filling.


For the stripes, microwave 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth. Drizzle or pipe on top of Fudge Rounds. Refrigerate until chocolate is set.

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For my Indonesia friends...here are the substitutions I made/tips I have for you:

-- I always use Orchid butter when I bake here. The red/gold box is the salted variety, the blue/silver is the unsalted.

-- I use the cheap clear vanilla you can get at most stores in the little glass bottles.  Stores run out a lot, so when I see them, I buy a ton (like ten!)  Not the best, but it works and is easy.

-- For shortening I use the white cream fat you can get at Setia Budhi (in the baking aisle).

-- Whenever I have to used melted chocolate (like for the drizzle on top), I use the big chocolate blocks you can get at Setia Budhi. They come in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. They are huge (1 kilo!) but I just break some off and freeze the rest.  They melt BEAUTIFULLY over a double boiler.  Don't add anything to the chocolate.

-- I always sift my powdered sugar and cocoa powder so I don't get lumps

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Awwwesome indeed.

Today...5.18.11

TODAY…

Outside my window…darkness

I am thinking… that my tooth hurts (I think a filling fell out)

I am thankful for…That I can fully trust God even when I don't understand

From the learning rooms…We've really been enjoying the books from Progressive Phonics.  We download them to the ipad and the boys actually WANT to do reading. I like that they approach reading from a different angle than our other books.

From the kitchen…Really wanted to make these Mocha Cupcakes today, but the gas tank on my oven was out.  We did have chicken tikka masala for dinner, though, so my taste buds were still happy.

I am creating…I've been scrapping more lately...feels good! (You can see layouts in the digital scrapbook album to the left).

I am going…to bed soon.  It's only 8:30, but I am so tired.

I am reading…so many good books.  I really need a whole post to talk about the great books I have read over the last few months.  Right now I am in the middle of several.  Really enjoying A Million Miles in a Thousand Years and can't wait to start Raising Kids for True Greatness.

I am hoping…for a few important emails.

I am hearing…Little Lucy, snoring at my feet.

Around the house…Sleeping little kids and a lot of little Lego pieces

One of my favorite things…Seeing real change in myself, change so desperately needed.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Some paperwork to finish up (though I finished my PILE of insurance stuff to go through!), and then who knows...

Here are some pictures I am sharing…3 years ago this week, 2 years ago this week, and 1 year ago this week (respectively)

 

 

I Really Want to Blog...

 

I really want to blog.  I really do.  Writing (and talking) are a way for me to process.  I make sense of the things in my mind when I have to put them into words. Most of my "light bulb" moments come from times of writing or speaking.  I say or write something and then...."aha!"

 

But lately, I have just been alone with my thoughts.  There is SO MUCH going on in our hearts and minds...so many amazing, big, challenging, scary, exciting, and wonderful things.  And I don't even really know where or how to start talking about them, so I just don't.  Instead, I have spent more time just being with my family, more time reading some amazing books, more time praying and seeking, more time learning what God really wants from me. And I have to admit, it feels good. I have taken more time to soak up the blessings in my life and dream about ways to pour those onto others.  More time living life and less time taking pictures of it. More listening to God and less talking to others.

That said, I feel the words building.  I feel that things that are stirring won't stay contained for long.  I need an outlet. I need to write.  I need to express what's on my heart.  I don't know exactly what form that will take, but soon I think a lot of what God has been showing me will find a way to express itself. Maybe that will be here. 

 

In the meantime, just know that I am living and enjoying life.  The end of the school year is just a few weeks away and I look forward to a slower pace and more concentrated time as a family.  We won't be travelling home to the States this summer, but we are okay with that.  While we would love to see extended family, we know that we are blessed with our nuclear family right here and we will take the extra time of summer to solidify those bonds.  And Lord willing, next summer will mean playing with cousins and cuddling with grandparents.  Thank you to those who generously gave to us.  The money will be set aside for next year. We are humbled and grateful for those who bless us in this way.

 

I'll be back in the next few days, hopefully.  The words won't stay contained forever.

 

And the photo? From a hike this past weekend we did to "one tree hill" with friends.  Good times. Beautiful scenery.  Awesome God.

A Very Happy Mother's Day

How can Mother's Day NOT be wonderful with 10 cute little feet like these?

 

I am so thankful to be a mom.  It is the only thing I wanted growing up and it is the only thing that kept me alive during my darkest days.  It was a desire deep and strong and for the years that I thought it might not be a possibility, it was even deeper. I've known what it is to long for children.  I've known what it is to think maybe it just isn't going to happen.  I've known what it is to hope and pray and wait, only to start over again. I've known.

 

And I've also known the joy that comes with two pink little lines.  I've known the joy of watching my body grow with new life.  I've known the giddy expectations and dreams that play out during pregnancy. I've known the utter joy of holding a child for the first time. 

 

Being a mom is my greatest accomplishment. But it is far from over. I've brought children into this world but I have yet to complete my task -- to raise them up to be responsible adults ready to love and serve others with every gift that God has given them.  I've a long way to go, but I am feeling the joy along the way.

This year for Mother's Day, I didn't want much.  I have everything I need and so much of what I want. So instead of gifts, I asked the family for two things:

 

1. Let's give gifts to those who need it far more than I.

2. Let me try to take some family pictures

 

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Rather than buy me gifts that I didn't need, I asked the children to select gifts for the kids in the care of Embracing Hope (Ethiopia). The toys will go to the new daycare that is run so that the mothers (who are trying to support their children on less than $1 a day) can go to work. Matchbox cars, a wooden tea set, an animal puzzle, and books. Can you guess who picked out what?

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My family put up with my trying to capture on (digital) film what I feel in my heart.  I can never do it, but these will have to do for now...

 

My five little loves...

 

So blessed to be their mama...

 

And I am so thankful for my partner, best friend, and love...

 

Me and my newest little blessing...

 

The precious girl who first made me a mama...

 

My amazing little ladies...so many dreams!

 

And my handsome young men...

 

My little guy who makes me laugh every day...

 

And yet with all his silliness, he has a tender heart... (and his littlest sister has the cutest faces!)

 

And speaking of funny faces, what do you see?

Look closer...

 

Even with all their funny faces, my heart swells with thoughts of what I have been given...

 

And I am happy that we love deeply and laugh freely...

 

A very happy Mother's Day indeed.

To Do or to Have

 

I was sitting down today, taking a breather, and looking at some old posts that I wrote for THE DAILY DIGI (the digital scrapbooking website that I started in January 2009).  I forgot about so many of the articles I wrote.  It is interesting to see what was on my heart then and what is on my heart now.  So much the same.  A few things different. 

 

In any case, I came across this post and smiled.  This is still something I believe in so much. So, I thought I would post it here for your reading pleasure :)

 

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To Do or to Have (originally published at THE DAILY DIGI on March 1, 2009)

A few weeks ago, reader and fab scrapper Christine sent me a link to a blog entry she had done.  I read it and knew I had at least one kindred spirit out there.  Her post was called “Buying into Life” and was about the happiness gained by spending  money on experiences rather than things.  This is something that we have a family have chosen to do and it is interesting to hear that studies have been done on it.   So this weeks The UN-digi is all about bringing some more happiness into your life…not with new stuff but with new experiences.

I remember a few years ago I was telling someone about our plans to stay in a hotel for a night, “just for fun.”  She asked, quite shocked at our plans, how we had the money to do that.  That was  good question!  Our family has a lot of things but money has never been one of them!  I simply responded that we don’t usually spend money on things — we spend it on experiences.  I tried to explain that with an experience, everyone gets to enjoy it, you can savor it long afterward, and it brings the family closer together.  I did a poor job of stating my case, but I can assure you we had a great time at the hotel!

After reading Christine’s post and the related articles, it seems as though we are not alone in our belief that things can never take the place of experiences.  Christine did a great job summarizing what she had heard and read:

Basically, the gist of it is that people who spend money on experiences are happier than people who spend money on material possessions, because:

• The initial excitement of a new possession fades over time, usually 6-8 weeks. (And in my opinion and experience, I think that’s why there are shopaholics. They crave the initial “high” of a purchase.) Experiences continue to provide happiness through memories long after the event.
• Experiences draw people closer. Common and shared experiences with family & friends are often what draw us together. This fulfills our need for social bonding and brings satisfaction.
• People felt a greater sense of “being alive” during the experience and in reflection.
• When you spend money on experiences there’s less of the “keeping up with the joneses” phenomenon. Experiences are unique and so we are less likely to compare ourselves to other people and feel inferior.

 

 

Personally, here are the reasons our family chooses to spend time and money on experiences rather than things:

• For the most part, experiences can involve the whole family while things are for one person or one group of people (adults or kids).  For a child’s birthday, I can buy a new toy that the child alone will enjoy for a few days (or hours!) or we can go and do something as a family and everyone is able to enjoy it.

• We remember our experiences much more — and much longer — than the “stuff” we get. My kids wouldn’t be able to tell you what they got for their last birthday (we do buy them a few things) but they sure could tell you what we DID.

• Going places and doing things together bonds us as a family…more than any new toy ever could. I firmly believe that relationships are built and strengthened through common experiences and fond memories, not over shared things.

• By spending money on experiences (trips, outings, etc) rather than things, the amount of stuff in our house remains somewhat under control.  In many homes, Christmas and birthdays usually bring a ridiculous number of new things into a house (and most people don’t ensure that the same number of things go out of the house).  Choosing experiences instead of things keeps the “stuff” from accumulating.

• We crave doing stuff together.  People, by nature, want more of what they already have.  If we give our kids lots of toys they will crave more.  If we give our kids lots of experiences, they long for more of the same. What would you rather have?  A child who begs for more toys or one who begs for more time together as a family?

• Experiences can be cheaper. Of course there are always ways to spend money, but experiences can be inexpensive or free.  We often look for fun and cheap ways to do things together.

I want to touch for a minute on the last point: financial issues.  I wouldn’t want someone to read this and think, “well, we don’t have much money so this won’t work for us!”

1.  Yes, there are lots of expensive things you can do and places you can go.  We have spent money on some expensive options (like yearly passes to Disney World, nights at hotels, weekend trips).  We have made this possible by choosing to watch where our money goes. For example,  I think some people were surprised that we paid to have passes to Disney World.  They were expensive, but we made choices in other areas that saved a lot of money: we didn’t have cable.  We had basic cell phone service with no extras. We went to Starbucks only three or four times all year…think of how much money we saved by not spending $4+ on coffee several days a week!)  We chose to drive a cheap, older car. We almost never bought books or DVDs…instead we made insanely heavy use of the local library.  Obviously this was not just so we could go to Disney, but these choices (and many more like them), enabled us to have money for other things.

2. There are many, many cheap or free ways to invest in experiences rather than things.  Get creative in what you do and where you go.  The internet is an amazing resource for finding free stuff in your community and surrounding areas.  Look for things that the whole family will love.  Here are some ways that our family does inexpensive things together:

• We go to lots of parks and playgrounds and try to decide which ones are the best

• We do lots of crafts.  I am craft-blog obsessed and have found so many wonderful ideas of things to do as a family. The kids love it and are always so proud to show off their new creations.  Just this week my sons spent days playing with some swords and “hooks” I made out of cardboard and tin foil.

• We create fun meal time activities.  We have had “no manners meals”  when everyone gets to “forget” their manners for a while.  We often invite people over for dinner and then the kids get to help cook and prepare for our guests. Just this weekend we created an at-home version of a favorite restaurant, the Pancake Parlour.  The kids created their own special   (and one for our guest) and we had a great time cooking up pancakes and then decorating them with ice cream, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, and more.  We turn the every day in a FUNday.

• We look for ways to let the kids to do thing they think they shouldn’t be doing.  Kids love feeling like they are “getting away” with something.  One day I bought some cans of shaving cream and we had a shaving cream graffiti party in our backyard.  At first they couldn’t believe what I was doing!  But once they got over they shock they loved writing all over the sidewalk and walls.  We played shaving cream hop scotch and then painted each other white!

• We find fun ways to get places.  Jason has a love for transportation adventures so he will often try to find fun ways to get “from here to there.”  You can take the bus instead of a car.  If you are in a bigger city, take the train. Ride bikes. Pull a sled…anything that makes the mundane new and exciting!

I encourage you to ask yourself, “To Do or to Have?”  Which is most important to you and to your family? What kinds of memories will you and your children take through life?  What kinds of things do you remember most from your own childhood.  Think through the answers to these questions and then takes some appropriate steps in the direction of your choice!

He's Seven!

I find it hard to believe that Caleb is seven.  And then again, his birth seems like forever ago. So many things have happened in our lives since that cold May day. Since that time, we have lived in three different countries,  in three different states, and in nine different houses.  We've also welcomed in three more children into our family.  Yes, a lot happens in seven years.

 

And a lot has happened in Caleb's life in these last seven years. He has grown into this amazing little guy with a HUGE heart.  His creativity just oozes out of him and I really cannot wait to see what God has planned for Caleb's gifts.  I know, without a doubt, that there are amazing things in store for this kid.  He's different than other kids, but that's what I love about him. And I hope, more than most anything else, that I can be a mother that fosters that uniqueness and helps him find his God-given potential rather than making his childhood miserable by trying to fit him into a mold that was never meant to contain him or making him feel unloved because his thoughts, feelings, and actions don't look like those around him.  He is loving, creative, passionate, and deep. And if I can teach Caleb to EMBRACE those qualities and to praise God for HIS creativity as he wove him together in my womb, then I will  have succeeded as a mother.

 

Okay, on to lighter stuff!

 

Caleb's birthday was a three day affair.  I do believe our family has a special knack for making birthdays last longer than most!  On Saturday, we let him open his big gift.  We had gotten him a huge box of legos (830 pieces) and we knew he would want to play with them.  If we had waited until Sunday (his actual birthday), he would have been torn between wanting to go out with the family and wanting a chance to play.  So, we avoided the conflict by letting him have them early.  And boy did he play!  He went right to it, following the step by step directions and ended up with an awesome fire truck in about 30 minutes.  He loves searching for just the right piece and he methodically builds.  It's so fun just to watch him!

 

 

Sunday was Caleb's birthday.  After a requested breakfast of French toast, we headed out to the mall.  His birthday activity choice was ice skating, but since ice skating is almost 50% cheaper during the week, we opted to do that on Monday (Jason took a personal day).  We didn't want to do nothing on his actual big day, so he chose to go to one of the play places in town.  After an hour of playing, we headed out to lunch at Pizza Hut (his choice).

On Monday, four excited kids got ready to go ice skating. 

Before going, though, we had to take a few pictures.  My favorite one is posted above.  Doesn't he look so grown up?  He also wanted one with his lego motorcycle.  So Caleb.

 

And I snuck in for a few...

 

 

The kids have been eagerly anticipating this day since we went skating for Alaina's birthday.  Going on a Monday not only meant cheaper prices, but also an almost empty rink.  It was perfect for the kids, and they had a great time!

 

 

I even got on the ice -- for the first time since our honeymoon eleven years ago! (The only other times we have been since then have been when I was very, very pregnant!)

 

 

Jason is such a saint.  He spends most of his time doing this...

 

 

And this...

 

 

And she does a lot of this...

 

 

But it is all worth it when a just-barely-three-year-old does a little of this...

 

 

And some of this...

 

 

It was just one of those times when I felt that if I could just breath deeper,  I might be able to soak in the massive amounts of love I feel for these people...

 

 

I also felt a lot of laughter rising to the surface!

 

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After skating we grabbed some lunch and then headed home.  I had cupcakes to frost!  Caleb's original plan was to invite "all his best friends" over for cake.  The problem is, the "best friends" that he listed included four other families...that would have made 27 people in one house for cake.  Plan B was that since all of these families also go to our church, we would bring cupcakes to church on Sunday afternoon (we meet as a fellowship at 4pm).  Well, we got back too late on Sunday to get the 50 cupcakes frosted.  So, we came up with plan C: deliver cupcakes to his "best friends" houses.  But first, we enjoyed some cake as a family!

 

 

Happy Birthday, sweet Caleb.  I love you far more than words can express and I feel so blessed to be your mom.  I never wanted to have a son...and then I had you and Levi and I wouldn't trade having my two sons for anything in the world.  You teach me every day about love, life, and fun! I love you!

 

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And that, my friends, completes BIRTHDAY SEASON 2011.  Seven birthdays in three months.  Six birthdays in just eight weeks.  Phew!  We'll be back in January for the beginning of BIRTHDAY SEASON 2012!